


Insects

by JamieBenn



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-02
Packaged: 2017-11-23 10:56:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieBenn/pseuds/JamieBenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We’re all insects in our worlds, and Louis, being the king of France finds this out the hard way via a secret his wife – the queen of England – is harbouring. Will the secret bring him closer to someone he didn’t even know existed prior to the events that brought his earth crashing down upon his head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE do not blame me for the Liam/Eleanor pairing, its just crucial to the story and its not really a relationship... you'll see :) Besides, I ship Payzer... maybe Danielle will be in the story at some point..? And I haven't fitted Zayn into any chapters yet, but we'll see.

Eleanor was queen of England, but she had no husband and was in need of one. She didn’t wish for one, but rumours were firing up with no male on the throne, equivalently turning half her kingdom on her. It wasn’t normal for there to be an unmarried woman on the throne and it was indeed considered discourteous. It was soon that she found a husband in the king of France and this would also be a one in a million chance to reconcile the countries’ differences. It would also mean that she’d have control over two countries and kingdoms and that would have made her father proud, had he been there. She also planned that her husband wouldn’t stay on the throne long and that she would poison him in two or three years, consequently become the sovereign of both countries. She had an ingenious mind.

~*~

“Evening, sister.” Liam greeted Eleanor.  
“Great me as your queen, peasant.”  
“Do you really think of me that way, El? I am still a prince, even if you wrongfully took my crown.”  
“I should strip you of your title! You cannot talk to me like that! I am the eldest, therefor this is my crown!” Eleanor growled. “You’ll sit before me in an hour where I will establish your punishment!”  
“Eleanor! You cannot do that! I’m your brother!”  
Eleanor snorted. “Refer to yourself as that no more, courtesan.”  
Liam gasped, “But El! You can’t do this! I’m your brother!”  
“Don’t talk to me like you’re equal to me, courtesan!”  
“No, Eleanor!” Liam yelled, reaching out to grab hold of Eleanor.  
“Carlisle, will you please do me a favour and escort the courtesan to the courtesan chambers. King Louis of France will be here soon enough and I don’t really like whores, he may, though.”  
The large man who up until now had one unnoticed, grabbed hold of the week former-prince’s arm, dragging him to the reasonably close courtesan quarters.

The courtesan chambers were less than great. They weren’t anything as fancy as what Liam was used to and Liam was pretty sure they were even less great than a commoner’s room, but he wouldn’t know. He grew up a prince.

That was what Liam was facing.

He was no longer a prince.

His sister – the queen – had ripped him of his crown.

His sister had sentenced him to become a courtesan. A whore. A slave.

~*~

Louis had left his country, putting his uncle – Prince Charles – in charge. The English also had a habit of not keeping their promises, meaning that Queen Eleanor could possibly turn on him. So if anything turned for the worst, Charles was also the heir to his throne.

He arrived at Buckingham palace one afternoon and was greeted kindly by the queen. “Welcome, Louis.” Louis was about to yell at her for calling him by his first name alone but then he realised that he was no longer in France and she was queen in England.  
“Afternoon your highness.” Although Louis hoped she might, Eleanor did not offer to let him call her by her first name alone and although he was very disappointed, he did not show it. He just wasn’t used to females denying him like that, but then, he didn’t talk to that many women. There was only his mother and the occasional order to the women servants.  
“Lovely palace, my queen. I have been here once before, though, when I was just a little boy when I visited with my mother and father.” Louis told her.  
“So you’re a philanthropic!” Eleanor exclaimed, but Louis heard the sarcasm dripping in her voice.  
“No, you’re just too modest.” Louis stated dryly.  
The walked in silence to what Louis thought would be his quarters, but he thought wrong.  
“I have an early wedding gift for you, I hope you appreciate it. It’s just in that room.” Louis nodded as Eleanor left, leaving him to find the gift that was waiting in the room.

~*~

Liam felt a draft, lying on the bed, which he shuddered at the thought of. Especially when he considered what it could have been used for prior to his stay. He looked over his shoulder at the heavy, solid wooden door, which had opened, revealing a man not too much older than himself, and then he realised why he must be there.

When Louis entered the room, he noticed almost immediately what type of room it was – a courtesan’s room. He saw a body on the bed and thought how much ludicrous this was – Eleanor giving him a courtesan as a wedding gift. It certainly wasn’t a very suitable one at that.

“Hello.” Louis greeted the man whom was curled into a ball so that he couldn’t see his face, nor how good his body. The man looked up at the sound of his voice and that was when Louis almost broke into tears, because he recognised the person who sat in front of him.  
“You’ve come to bed me, haven’t you?” Liam broke the silence. Louis studied the man – more boy’s – features, coming across his chiselled chest and finally settling at his short, curly hair.  
“No. Prince Liam, why are you in a courtesan’s room?” Louis asked, tears dripping from his cheeks, afraid of the answer.  
“I think my sister felt threatened by me. I’m also no longer a prince, so you can stop calling me by that.” Liam said solemnly.  
“So your sister did this to you? Striped you of your royal name and sentenced you to be a courtesan?” Liam nodded his head, but continued staring at the ground. “I can’t do anything about it, though, Liam. I could sell you, and I think she may actually be pleased. I have some nice noble friends.” Liam looked up at Louis, obviously scared. “What about the Irish king? He’s nice, and he owes me one.” Liam nodded his head eagerly and Louis knew that he could probably get an attractive personal courtesan – maybe the one he’d set his eyes on last time he’d visiting Niall’s palace in Ireland. Louis had wanted to talk to the slave but as he was Niall’s and he’d most likely already claimed him, he could not do so, but he’d been thinking about the boy ever since.  
“Better than being near my sister.” Liam proclaimed.

~*~

Louis was as confused as he’d ever been in his life. Last time he’d visited the British palace was when he was a child and then little Prince Liam and Princess Eleanor had seemed so close and friend-like that it was hard to believe that Eleanor had really banished her only brother from his royal status – sentencing him to be a whore. Louis was utterly confused, but he was going to help Liam and send him to Niall, where in return, Louis would get something he dearly wanted.

~*~

It was a few years prior and Louis had been visiting Niall prior to his coronation because Niall’s father died, but Louis wasn’t going to be able to attend the coronation due to occurrences in his home country. He’d been roaming the palace and tediously examining the dry stonewalls when he saw the mop of hair protrude from around the corner.

He really was beautiful, but in a different kind of way. He had emerald green eyes that stared seemingly like he was looking at something, but when you looked in the direction his eyes were, they were just looking aimlessly into the distance. A breeze had blown through the hall and Louis saw the boy’s hair waver in the wind like it was dancing to unheard music.

The boy walked away and into a room and when Louis was about to call out to the unknown boy, he then realised what the room was – a courtesan’s room. He never saw the boy again.


	2. Chapter Two

The exchange went smoothly. Louis had sent Niall a letter via. Horseback and was sent a reply along with the green-eyed boy, whom he was ecstatic about, even if the boy thought otherwise. In return for the boy, Louis sent Liam, who was worried of the conditions he’d be travelling in. “Well it’s not going to be what you’re used to.” Louis had told him, attempting to sooth him, but failing dreadfully.

So, Liam was palmed off onto another royal in exchange for a young boy whom he only got a glimpse of, but he didn’t seem in all that great a shape. Liam would admit that he was scared for himself. He didn’t know what the Irish royal would do to him, or if they would treat him like the courtesan that his sister had meant for him to be. So yes, Liam was scared for himself and for his own wellbeing. But if Louis trusted the Irishman, then he must too. After all, he and Louis were friends, right?

Eleanor was glad to have ridden the kingdom of her horrid brother. Of course, she was not entirely happy that Louis had thrown out her engagement gift to him, but she was forgetting that Louis knew Liam and it would be strange for them to engage in any sort of intercourse.

Then there was Louis, who was perfectly happy with the deal that had been made. He’d ended up with a gorgeous male courtesan, two or three years younger than himself. It would have been wrong not to be grateful for Eleanor’s issues with her brother because as a result, Louis had scored the best slice of cake.

Louis entered the room where his guards had left in the green-eyed boy. Louis then took in the boy’s full beauty for the first time. He had not the fullest of figures, but a petit body. The boy’s lack of clothing – consisting of only loose fitting pants and a sash-type thing – meant that Louis could see the boy’s stomach and his well-defined v lines and abs. Louis noticed the way the boy’s chocolate brown curls were stationary but still looked as though they were more alive than the boy himself.

Louis didn’t know how Niall brought himself to part with such treasure.

~*~

As Louis lay unsleeping upon his own bed, in his own chambers, he desperately felt the need to rush to the courtesan’s room and rough him up a little. Even if that wasn’t going to happen, Louis felt that he would like to just sit in front of the boy and stare into the emerald orbs that never seemed to be void of a spark, even though Louis had only seen him for a few minutes.

Louis’ heart was aching for the boy throughout the day whilst the only person he managed to talk to be Eleanor who was seated at dinner, where only Eleanor and he were dining. Liam would usually attend Eleanor’s table but since she’d practically dismissed him from anything to do with the monarchy, then he obviously wasn’t there and instead was in Ireland probably eating on the floor or not eating at all and losing his virginity to the Irish king. It was probably true to say that Niall was the second best/nicest king in any kingdom at the moment. He was most likely the only one who would buy or trade such a distraught object. Niall never objected to any courtesans, even after Louis explained his reasons for palming him off.

Niall had just taken the former-prince in with open arms (or open legs, as Louis saw it.) and had promised him a home, which was more than Liam could actually ask for once his sister had thrown him to a rank beneath peasants and equivalent to the pigs that turn up on their own dinner tables. Yes. That was the rank most courtesans were considered in society. If they were lucky enough to even be considered part of society, that is.

So whilst Louis’ heart/dick was aching for the green-eyed boy throughout the day and thought up plans to get the boy to like him without having to use sex as a key to the friendship, Harry waited patiently in the courtesan’s room for someone to come and ignite his position in the palace. Harry was not necessarily or who but he had to admit that when he did go too long with the action of sex, he did find himself getting strange withdrawals. But that was all in the job, right? He was essentially a prostitute that wasn’t being paid. Or some would consider the fact that he could even sit in the palace of someone as high as a king payment, or the fact that they sometimes take the time to feed him.

~*~

Eleanor meanwhile, had a good day.

She saw Louis once at dinner but they didn’t converse and she was glad that with Louis, there came no attempted at conversation that would only end up very awkward and not to mention, boring as they’d probably end up at the topic of the weather, which, although it is a popular conversation starter, it’s never quite the way to end one and the topic is boring and usually gets underneath the skin of people of every age.

So yes, no talking to her future husband was a good point and she was glad.

She’d sentenced three thieves to be hung, but not before they were put in the stocks for eight hours for all of London to see. The thieves managed to survive the brutal public but not before being hung for their ‘heinous’ crimes.

Eleanor could be as strict as she wished.

She was the queen.

No one could tell her what she could and couldn’t do.

When she no longer had parents, no one was above her.

And one day, she’ll be able to continue her bloodline and make her ancestors proud. She’ll show them how proud of their history she is. But will she ever be able to have that with Louis…?

Somehow, Eleanor knew this thing with Louis wouldn’t work out. The children would not be Calder’s. They would be Tomlinson’s and that wouldn’t do for Eleanor. Not at all…


	3. Chapter Three

As the two young royalties sat upon chairs at the table when breakfast arrived, they barely glanced at each other, opting for a rather interesting item - Eleanor’s being the old vase that sat upon a shelf in the corner and Louis’ being the tile pattern on the floor.

Although neither is deemed at all interesting, the items had struck a chord with the royals, or maybe they just didn’t crave to look each other in the eye.

Louis couldn’t keep his thoughts away from what happened the previous night as he chewed silently. The green-eyed boy was somewhat a mystery that Louis felt he needed to solve.

“You’ve come to bed me?” the boy questioned, staring deeply into Louis eyes so much that Louis felt as though he was piercing into his brain.

“Only if you wish.” Louis stated. He didn’t want his courtesan hating him. No, that wouldn’t do at all. The boy stood in shock at what the royal had said, mouth agape and hands still at his sides. “You mustn’t be uncomfortable during.”

“But you’ll have to claim me before someone else.” The boy panicked.

“Were you not given to me?” Louis questioned. “Why don’t we begin with a name, young gentleman.”

“No one’s ever asked me my name before. Not even Niall did.” The boy stuttered, frightened of why Louis was being so kind especially because royalty and he didn’t have to be.

“Well I am now. Will you give it to me?”

“I-I don’t have a name.”

“Well, that won’t do.” Louis told him, with a frown upon his face. “I’ll have to think of one. Now how did you come into King Niall’s possession?”

“My mother sold me as an infant and I grew up on a farm and helped with their farm and all the animals but when I was twelve, they sold me because they couldn’t afford to feed me anymore.” The boy’s eyes glazed over and became teary. “Then I was locked up in a ghetto place and almost died before one of Niall’s men came through one day and took me to Niall. That was before Niall’s father died and the only way he would allow me to stay was if I became his son’s courtesan. Because he needed his son to learn about himself.”

Louis felt himself almost tearing up. Louis had that man of Niall’s to thank for everything. For if he had not found Harry in that ghetto then the boy would not be there right now and Louis may not have met the boy.

Louis was to return to the courtesan’s room and talk to the boy. He’d finally decided on a name for him.

~*~

“Hello Harry.” Louis stated, to see if the boy would be oblivious to it, but he wasn’t. He looked around the room, expecting to see someone else come in with Louis and then he realised what Louis had just done. He’d given him a name.  
“Thank you!” Harry exclaimed, wrapping his lanky limbs around Louis. At first, this took Louis as surprised and he flinched but then he got used to it, wrapping his arms around the taller boy.

That’s also what had stricken Louis as strange. He had a courtesan whom was taller than him, yet obviously younger than him. That was when Louis took Harry in fully. When Louis came face to face with the boy, close up, he studied the boys face carefully. It really didn’t look like he’d been captive for so long and Louis found it hard to believe that he had been given up as an infant. Louis studied the boys chocolate brown curls and his perfect jaw line. His eyes were as green as the jade jewels Louis’ mother wore and they held life that you would not expect in a teenage sex object.

Louis was stricken by Harry’s beauty. Because he was beautiful the way his eyelashes would hit his cheek as he blinked and the way the dimples had shown when Louis had given him his name.

He was even beautiful when he was confused, when Louis had first called him Harry and his eyebrows had knitted together in confusion.

Harry was, is, always beautiful…

But this isn’t normal for Louis to be feeling… is it?


	4. Chapter 4

“Look, Niall. Can I please have my brother back? I really need him.”

“Why? So that you can have him as a slave? Fat chance.”

“Please, Niall. I came all the way to Ireland to see you to get him back and you’re still denying me? I know I’ve done some pretty harsh things, but I didn’t think that you of all people would hate me.”

“Let’s just say that I know some people and that I know what you really do in that palace of yours.”

“Who’s your inside man?”

“Well then. That’s why I’m calling it a secret. And secrets are meant to be kept, right?”

“I hope it’s not someone I dearly trust. A leak would not be good for us at all.”

“Oh, but you trust them alright.”

“Now can I have Liam back or do I have to take over Ireland for you to let me have a worthless being.”

“Eleanor, he’s not a worthless being. But if you must. Take him. But please don’t hurt him like you did before.”

“He’s not worth the energy, Niall, so don’t worry about me hurting him.”

Eleanor left Ireland with her brother bound in rope. Liam was definitely scared for his life. After all, he had thought that Niall had actually cared for him but that kindness had proved non-existent if he felt it okay to palm him back off to his sister.

You see, normally the eldest son held the crown after their father had died but seemingly, Eleanor didn’t like tradition, instead imprisoning her brother in the cells underneath the castle. She later let him out, making sure that he would treat her as the queen and under no circumstances reveal that he was being made to do this; threatening his life.

Liam stood up shakily as someone he couldn’t see pulled on his arm. It certainly didn’t help at all, not being able to see. His sister had bound his arms together behind his back and tied a rag around his head to stop him from seeing. Liam felt as though his senses had gone nuts, but this had happened before, so it didn’t actually matter due to the fact that he’d come up with two rules for this situation.

One; don’t retaliate to anything they do.  
Two; don’t defy anything they ask.

Liam survived and probably only because he knew what to do from the previous times he’d been cuffed and blindfolded and dragged some place god knows where. Except this time, he did know. He was being taken back to the god for sake place that he’d called home and then had come to call his prison.

And this was apparently all in the good Payne-Calder name. Which was bullshit if Liam had ever heard. He still didn’t understand how his father would join his name with his monster of a mother’s.

Liam’s mother had died giving birth to Eleanor, his younger sister and Liam didn’t remember her either. But his dad had told the horrid stories of her leaving and then coming back pissed off her head.

~*~

**Two months later**

Louis, of course was furious when Eleanor had brought back Liam at first but then he didn’t seem to care. She didn’t make him do anything; in fact, she gave him rather roomy servants quarters, which was slightly weird, considering that he didn’t even earn his keep.

That’s the part that slightly worried Louis. There was no reason behind her bringing him there. Yes, that’s what worried Louis. The reasoning.

Louis decided to take a visit to Liam’s quarters. He was going to make sure Eleanor wasn’t doing anything. Liam had been ordered to stay in his quarters the day that Louis and Eleanor had actually gotten married one month before. This, of course made both Liam and Louis mad.

One thing Louis was glad of though was that Harry, as he’d named him had become friends with Liam. They even had similar heads of hair, excluding the colour, of course. But they were friends, so at least Liam had someone to talk to. Whenever Louis would have to attend meetings and so, he’d leave Harry with Liam as he trusted Liam to keep him safe.

It was true. Louis found himself whimpering at night, worrying over a boy he didn’t quite know. A boy whom he had full control over. Louis didn’t even know why he was whimpering, or why he was scared for the boy’s safety.

Was it more that he was worried about the boy running away and he being scared that he’d never see those green orbs or chocolate curls ever again.

So Louis decided that was it. He was scared of losing Harry.

~*~

“Liam, Harry.”

“My king.” Liam and Harry muttered almost at the same time.

“Oh, shut it! I’m Louis to you!” Each of them nodded, showing they knew what Louis had said.

Louis heard a creaking and spun around to see the door he’d just entered through. He saw the dead straight hair, which he’d come to loath and knew instantly that it was Eleanor. Probably there to torment her brother.

“Oh, greetings Louis.” Louis nodded his head in return at her. “I didn’t expect you here.”

“I was just coming to collect my courtesan.” Louis spoke, his voice getting higher nearest the end of the sentence.

“Oh, there will be no need for that.”

“Why ever is that, Eleanor?”

“Well, I thought Liam needed a trip to the barber’s and then I suddenly thought of your courtesan and how his mane was more untameable than his.” She said, looking smug.

Louis felt a lump in his throat. As long as they didn’t cut them too short because Harry wouldn’t be Harry without his gorgeous curls.

“Okay.” Louis said as Harry looked at him almost pleadingly, clutching the messy curls that were climbing around his head.   
Eleanor chuckled. “We’ll be back soon, Lou.” Louis cringed at the nickname she’d spoken. It sounded great out of anyone’s mouth, especially Harry’s, but as soon as Eleanor had spoken it, Louis detested it just as much as he did her.


End file.
